Cigarette-box opener.



G. A. & J. GASPERS. CIGARETTE BOX OPENER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1913.

1,1 05,1 82, Patented July 28, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Wu-MW; y v i earg e as am. M M0 M14? 755, Cats/52rd G. A. & J. OASPERS.

CIGARETTE BOX OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5, 1913.

1,105, 182. I Patented July 28, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHBET 2.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. CASPERS AND JOHN CASPERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF TWO-THIRDS TO SAID GEOBG-E'A. CASPEBS AND ONE-THIRD TO SAMUEL H. FUCHS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CIGARETTE-BOX OPENER Specification of Letter: mm.

Patented July 28, 1914.

Application filed m s, 1913'. Serial No. 777,980.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE A. CASPERS aIlClJOHN CASPERS, citizens of the United States, and residents of New York, in the county of New York and State of New 'York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigarette-Box Openers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in cigarette box openers and particularly to that class used for slitting the box or package-longitudinally along the opening line and across the revenue stamp as commonly applied. I

The object of the invention, is, to provide an opener adapted to be placed on a counter or shelf where it is prominently dis played, the device havin a guiding means whereby a box, irrespective of its width, is held in correct relation to the cutter. and the whole serving as an advertising. device in addition to its features of utility. This and other objects are attained by the novel construction and combination of means hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 showing a box as applied in its passage through the opener. Fig. 3 is a partial plan view of the same, parts eing broken away to exhibit the interior, and, Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

The invention comprises a rectangular base 10 having at its corners rubber feet 11 so that marring or scratching the surface upon which it is placed is avoided. Two hollow members 12 extend upward near the sides, spaced parallel with the sides of the base and have an obliquely disposed upper surface 13; extending between the hol ow members is a cover wall or platform 14 also oblique to the base and parallel with the upper surface of the standards. Midway between the hollow members is a thickened wall portion 15 having extending therethrough a knife 16 formed with an arcuately curved edge and provided with an angularly turned lower end 17 through which passes a binding screw 18 which holds the angularly turned part firmly against the lower side of the cover wall, so that the curved cutting port1on will extend slightly above the upper surface to engage with an article passed between the said hollow members.

The hollow members 12 loosely contain the end members of pressure plates 20 the same having a convex outer surface which is extended normally toward the center, leaving .a space between the two of lesser width than the thinnest box likely to be operated upon; these pressure plates are held outwardly with respect to their correspond ing members by means of flat springs 21 formed to a suitable curvature so that the ends contact with the plates and their centers against the outer wall of the hollow members to which they are secured by screws 22.

In operation, a box is entered between the pressure plates, passed down the inclined surface 14 and out at the lower end; in its passage it is carried over the knife which cuts any paper or filament that holds the upper and lower parts of the box together so that free accessmay be had to its contents.

The base aflords an area susceptible of. bearing any desired inscription, as an advertisement and the entire structure, may be plated, enameled, .or otherwise ornamented as desired.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

- 1. An article of the class described, com prising a base, hollow members extending above the upper surface of said base, oppositely disposed contact plates movably engaged in said hollow members, means for maintaining said contact plates normally outward with respect to said hollow members and a cutter rigidly secured in the path between said standards.

2. An article of the class described, comprising a base, a platform over said base,

' hollow projecting members formed parallel to said platform, along the upper edges thereof and having open adjacent faces, contact elements loosely-contained in said pro jecting members, said contact members set names to this specification in the presence of facing each other and having a curved outer two subscribing witnesses.

"face, means for maintaining said contact GEORGE A. CASPERS. members normally pressed toward each JOHN CASPERS.

5 other and a, cutter set in said platform be- Witnesses:

tween said projecting members. Hms B. Rornxowrrz,

In testimony whereof we have signed our WARREN E. WILLIS. 

